Common backgammon terms

Short backgammon glossary

Backgammon is one of the oldest classic games played by people of all age group but above 5 years as this a game that requires both luck and skill. This game is played on a board with the help of 2 pairs of dice and a doubling cube. Backgammon can only be played by 2 persons at a time. Each player is given a set of 15 checkers and the first player to throw a higher number starts the game. The player moves the checkers according to the numbers obtained by throw of dice and this procedure continues until all the checkers are removed from the board. In order to play and win backgammon, you need to know certain backgammon terms that will help you understand the game. Below are common backgammon terms:

1. Anchor
   The term "Anchor" is used when two or more chips occupy a same point on the board.
2. Backgammon
   When a player wins the game by removing all the checkers from the board and his/her opponent has hasn't removed a single checker out of the board and one or more checkers remains in the winning players section, the term Backgammon is used to describe the victory. The winning player scores 3 times the number shown on the doubling cube.
3. Bar
   A partition that separates the backgammon board in 2 parts! Whenever a player hits another player's chips, that chip is moved to the bar and it must be removed from the bar before moving other chips/checkers.
4. Bear off
   Bear off refers to removing chips from the board and thereby win the game. Once all the chips enter in your section or table, you can bear off out of the board.
5. Blot
   Blot refers to a point where only one chip is placed. It is easy to hit the blot and send it to the bar. This is one of the most common strategies used throughout the game.
6. Closed Point
   When an opponent block the point by placing 2 or more chips on that point, the term Closed point is used. Closed point ensures safety of the chip as no player can hit the chips on closed point.
7. Doubling
   Doubling refers to increasing the stake of the game by pressing the "Double" button. Doubling can only be done before throwing the dice.
8. Doubling Cube
   This represents the doubled value of the game after doubling has been accepted by the opponent. Doubling can only be done twice, one time by each player during a game.
9. Gammon
   A situation where a winner bears off all the chips before his/her opponent has borne off any chip. When a winner wins by Gammon, he/she scores double the game stake. For example, if original stake was 2 or 4, then winner gets 4 or 8.
10. Home Table
    Home table is the section of the board where numbers 1-6 are written. Each player gets his own section numbered 1-6 on the right corner and is referred to as home table.
11. Open Point
    Open point is the point where no chip has been placed by any of the player.
12. Pips
    Pips are the total points required by each player to bear off all the stones out of the board. Pips count is displayed on the bottom right corner of the board. The above Backgammon terms will help you understand the game and allow you to play the same in a better way.

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